Jupiter is in Sagittarius from November 8, 2018 - December 2, 2019

Jupiter, King of the Gods, is returning to his throne in Sagittarius, one of the two signs he rules. Where Jupiter is in your chart, you are blessed. Where Jupiter transits, you have protection for one year in that area of life, and the lessons will mirror the qualities of that sign.

Sagittarius, sign of the archer, is represented by a kaleidoscope of archetypes. One isn’t enough; after all, this sign likes to do things big! Sagittarius is the archer, but also the centaur, the wanderer or nomad, the student, the professor, the philosopher, and the sage. Sagittarius is the sign most interested in Truth with a capital T. Fiery, freedom-loving Sag is searching for the answers to the biggest questions, like Who is God? And what is the meaning of life? Sagittarius explores far and wide in search of ideals to live by and new ways of thinking about the world. No place is too extreme for the Explorer to see; no amount of information is ever going to be enough. There is always an exciting, new frontier for Sag to explore! This is a sign ruled by Jupiter, planet of optimism, expansion, and learning.

Last time Jupiter was in Sagittarius, from November 25, 2006 to December 19, 2007, we began the fourth International Polar Year (IPY). This continued an international initiative set forth in 1882 to study the Earth’s polar regions. The fourth IPY was the largest, most comprehensive campaign of its kind ever mounted. Jupiter here loves to explore to the ends of the earth. Last time Jupiter was in this sign, the advent of the iPhone changed the world. The United States got our first female Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi), international events ruled the news, and the U.N. adopted the Declaration of Indigenous Peoples. We also saw a major heatwave in Europe (Jupiter overdoing things in a fire sign!) and the growth of an overly optimistic bubble, right before the economic crash of 2008.

This year, with Jupiter in Sagittarius, global politics and indigenous peoples will get more attention. The migrant crisis, spiritual ideals, and isolationism vs. globalism are all sure to stay center stage. The danger with the philosopher in the sign of Truth is that some will become overzealous, forgetting to stay open-minded and believing that they have a claim on Truth itself. However, when used well, Jupiter in Sagittarius can open minds and spark generosity. Optimistic ideas for helping the world are always welcome while Jupiter is here. For many, this could still be a lucky year, one where we are so protected from bad fortune that we may not even realize how lucky we are.

One thing is for certain: when Jupiter moves into Sag, life expands. The planet of luck is free to hand out gifts and opportunities, and expand all good things. The key with Jupiter is looking for the luck, and then taking advantage of it! Believing in the possibility of abundance is crucial to receiving abundance. If we envision what we want and believe we can have it, we are much more likely to attain our desires.

Think back to what you were doing in2007. Those themes are coming around again. Your teacher, Jupiter, will build on the old lessons with some new knowledge. He'll protect you while you explore new places or ideas, expand an area of your life, or take a risk to get what you want. How you use this transit depends on your chart. I only have one word of warning: be careful that optimism doesn’t tip over into delusion. You're protected to a point, but you can also overdo it. With Jupiter squaring Neptune in Pisces this year, it’s possible to get lost in the dream and forget to take action. It’s also possible to be so unrealistic that you become excessive and start having a little too much fun, or take way too big a risk. Aim the arrow at your dream and then figure out how you can hit your target this year (without shooting yourself in the foot!)

Here's what’s coming up for you with Jupiter in Sagittarius.

Aries: You’re starting a year-long cycle of exploring possibility. You might be learning, teaching, developing a spiritual practice, traveling the world, publishing, or performing. The sky’s the limit! Dream of expanding your life in the next year. Welcome the inevitable changes.

Taurus: You’re starting a year-long cycle of mysterious luck. You may encounter opportunities to increase your wealth, develop a closer relationship with someone special, let go of hidden blocks, or transform a part of your life. Envision transformation for the year to come.

Gemini: You’re starting a year-long cycle of luck in love. Jupiter brings opportunities to meet new people if you’re single, and good luck that comes through a partner if you’re already matched. Your good fortune can also manifest in a close friendship, or even a business partnership that brings happiness to both of you. Envision the kind of partnership you want to have. Imagine how your life will look with this other person, and dream big!

Cancer: You’re starting a year-long cycle of protecting your health and receiving opportunities for more joy in your life. You may have opportunities at work, create luck for yourself through ritual or magic, develop a spiritual practice that supports your health, and/or find more freedom by creating your own daily schedule. However you want this to manifest, Jupiter promises to keep you busy!

Leo: You’re starting a year-long cycle of increased joy, romance, and pleasure. You may be offered opportunities to play with creative projects, meet fun people, travel for pleasure, have a child, or spend time with children. Envision what would make your life more fun as you begin this cycle. Practice gratitude for the happiness you already have, and imagine the possibilities for an even more joyful future.

Virgo: You’re starting a year-long cycle of expanding your home and perhaps growing your family. Jupiter could bring opportunities to move, good luck with buying a home, or happiness and joy in family life. Such luck could extend to life with a significant partner, too. Visualize the home you want to have.

Libra: You’re starting a year-long cycle of opportunities for learning, writing, and speaking. Imagine how you will use your voice when given a platform on which to speak. Imagine what it is you would like to learn, or what you would like to say. You may even envision how your communication could become a part of your daily life and work. Think big! Jupiter likes a large project.

Scorpio: When Jupiter moves from your sign into Sagittarius, your good luck is not gone. Your newfound confidence will help you see opportunities to increase your income and acquire things of value. You are interested in power, and money is one of the forms that power takes. This year, empower yourself financially, with skills, knowledge, and magic that bring you money. Consider ways of stepping into your own abilities that will empower others in turn.

Sagittarius: When Jupiter enters your sign, it is the beginning of a truly lucky year. After some difficult times, now you will receive a boost in confidence, and the chance to make some deeply rooted dreams come true. Envision the possibilities for your future. Think big; be adventurous. And take heart—you are on the threshold of joy!

Capricorn: You’re starting a year-long cycle of private, inner contemplation. The adventures of your imagination will take precedence over the external, career-focused activities in your life. Your dreams are about to become much more lively! Begin a spiritual, dream-centered, or imaginative practice to expand your inner life in the coming year.

Aquarius: You’re starting a year-long cycle of expanding your community. Opportunities will come through social networks, and you will feel optimistic, even joyful, about your sense of belonging with these groups. Set intentions to seek out other people who share your ideals this year. True fortune lies in friendship.

Pisces: You’re starting a year-long cycle of big opportunities in your career. Envision the best possible scenario for your vocation. Even dreams of fame and fortune could be within reach, if you hold true to your vision and take advantage of the luck that comes your way. The hardest part may be finding clarity about what you want. Take some time to choose a target for the arrows of your desire, and aim high.

Jupiter in Scorpio trine Neptune in Pisces is the biggest outer planet aspect of 2018. This has been in effect since November 2017, and will remain in effect through September 2018. We are in the middle of a three-part cycle of enchantment. The aspect was exact on December 2, 2017. It will be exact again on May 25th and August 19th.

Jupiter is the planet of expansion, generosity, luck, optimism, learning and knowledge. Neptune is the planet of spirituality, religion, dreams, higher ideals, and all that is ethereal. When Jupiter in the rather witchy sign of Scorpio aspects Neptune in sensitive, psychic Pisces, they create the potential for big magic.

What kind of spell will you cast with this kind of magic in the air? It could be a time to commune with the spirits through a seance or a create an artistic work of great depth and beauty. This aspect brings to mind fairy tale films, mermaid queens, fairy godmothers, castles in the clouds and kingdoms under the sea. There is an element of fantastical illusion to Jupiter trine Neptune that can work in your favor as you enchant your own life. Water spells, divination, creative visualization, and dream boarding are all perfect for this aspect.

Trines are lovely and often make things feel easy, but the luck doesn’t always just fall in your lap. You have to do a little fishing with this one. Take some time on Friday to cast your magic net and see if you can pull in your dream.

To find out what you should cast for, look at the themes of the Jupiter-Neptune trine for your rising sign and sun sign in the horoscopes.

Jupiter is an interesting planet to watch. The transits aren't as slow as Pluto's, which can last over 12 years (16 in Capricorn). One lifetime isn't long enough to see Pluto transit through all of the signs. But Jupiter has one year transits, so every 12 years we have a chance to view each sign through a magnifying glass, albeit tempered by the rest of the space weather out there. Themes are played out in public. Problems are made visible, too big to ignore.

Jupiter in Libra, from September 9, 2016 - October 9, 2017, spent the year opposing Uranus in Aries and squaring Pluto in Capricorn, at times creating a T-square that was like a taut bow, firing off flaming arrows. Libra, sign of harmony, beauty, justice, and loving relationships, is in many ways a sign of women. The newspapers and polls predicted we would have a woman president, women wore pantsuits to the polls in solidarity, and instead the US elected a man far, far less qualified. He's a sexual predator and white supremacist too, but then so was Jefferson. Jupiter in Libra reminded many of our nation's unjust history. It brought us the Women's March. It gave us a better understanding of just how disharmonious America is right now, and for many, a renewed commitment to social justice. And just before moving into Scorpio, at 28 Libra, separating from his last exact opposition to Uranus, Jupiter thrust Harvey Weinstein into the spotlight.

The story broke in the New York Times on October 5th. It caught fire. Women started sharing stories of men harassing and assaulting them with the hashtag MeToo. On October 10th, Jupiter moved into Scorpio. And what I see being magnified is women's horror. True horror isn't a fictional monster hiding in the woods. True horror is a real, flesh and blood monster who terrorizes you behind closed doors, but doesn't really have to hide it, because everybody knows about the terror, and you are told in so many ways that it doesn't matter. They know he is a monster; sometimes they even abet his crimes. And at the same time they don't believe you. They silence you and say you caused your own victimhood. They tell you in so many ways that the ugliness must be inside of you. True horror is living with the monster in your office, in your home, in your school, day after day.

What I mean by women's horror is what Mikaella Clements wrote of the insidious darkness hiding in Jane Austen's novels on October 13th. "There’s no need to step outside the gate," she writes. "The call is coming from inside the house." She points to the character of Mr. Woodhouse in Emma, the father who monitors Emma and her guests so closely that he won't even let them eat their fill. Emma will never leave her horribly needy, vampiric, surveillant father, so much so that at the end of the book Emma and Mr. Knightly continue living with him after their marriage. Emma has always lived with a monster in the house.

Authors today are still writing of the insidious horror of just being a woman on Earth. In The New Scream Queens, Nathan Scott McNamara reviews Argentinian Mariana Enriquez's 2017 collection Things We Lost in the Fire. The title story of that collection is based on the true story of Maira Maidana, whose boyfriend lit her on fire and then turned off the taps, following her around the house with a blanket and a bottle of alcohol while she tried first the shower, then both of the sinks. She survived, and feared him so much that at first she told people she lit herself on fire. Enriquez posits within the story that this might be the origin of the Burning Woman movement in Argentina, a society in which women help each other burn themselves. It’s sad that it’s not hard to believe. On October 17th, I learned about Nxivm, a cult where women are told they’re joining a kind of empowerment sorority, and end up branded with the cult leader’s initials.

In The Husband Stitch, published inHer Body and Other Parties this month, Carmen Maria Machado writes the macabre tale of the girl with the green ribbon as a feminist horror story. The woman’s husband wants to know about her ribbon, wants to touch it, but she won’t let him. He accuses her of keeping secrets. “It’s not a secret,” she tells him, “It’s just mine...am I not allowed this one thing?” He will not leave it alone. Throughout the story she offers her body up for his pleasure, receiving little, if any, pleasure from him in return. When she gives birth, she hears her husband joking with the doctor about “the extra stitch.” The husband stitch refers to a stitch given to a woman where childbirth has torn the skin between her anus and vagina, to make her vagina tight again.

In Jane Dykema’s article, “What I Don’t Tell My Students About the Husband Stitch,” published the day Jupiter moved into Scorpio, she writes that she could not find “reliable” information about the husband stitch, meaning information presented objectively, with authority. The words pop up over and over again on pregnancy message boards, women telling other women. Another kind of whisper network. Dykema writes of being a woman and not being believed, even sometimes by her husband, who was reluctant to call the gas company when she smelled gas because he didn’t smell it. There were in fact gas leaks. Women’s horror is a life where even your senses are suspect. Women’s horror is that we are not allowed to confirm our own reality. Reality, like everything else, is the domain of men.

I think stories that the patriarchy has silenced, and stories about being silenced by the patriarchy, will grow louder through the fall of 2018. What other Scorpionic themes do you see rising from the depths already with Jupiter in Scorpio? Feel free to share in the comments.